Reset Rants

[laj]

I was to see better selections and the look of at least a modern game plan where the players have some idea of what they are doing out there. If the latter doesn't happen, well, that's on the coach. Team selections are totally out of kilter with the modern game.

[Lods]

Don't forget that we virtually have stripped the playing list back to bare bones, I can't think of any other club to have been this ruthless, virtually taken back to a GWS/GCoast scenario, year zero stuff. It's not a reset or rebuild, it is a re-creation.

Isn't the problem with that though, that we're trying to do a duplication of the GWS/ Gold Coast situation without the draft concessions.

(We may pick up Ben Silvagni but at this stage the one he's likely to replace would be his brother.)

[PaulP]

Isn't the problem with that though, that we're trying to do a duplication of the GWS/ Gold Coast situation without the draft concessions.

(We may pick up Ben Silvagni but at this stage the one he's likely to replace would be his brother.)

We've only been able to do it by giving players up along the way, so we have got more 1st rounders than the expansion clubs, but clearly it's at a cost.

[Lods]

We've only been able to do it by giving players up along the way, so we have got more 1st rounders than the expansion clubs, but clearly it's at a cost.

It's also in many cases their 'unwanted' first rounders which puts us well behind.

[Baggers]

Absolutely agree with the sentiments, well considered thoughts and opinions expressed in this thread.

Well said, Fluffy One. Yes, 'Our reputation as a club is one the line'. Spot on. In corporate speak, our brand is on the line and is wearing some deep wounds already, in fact our club is only being held together by past reputation and past success. Today our club is limping badly due to the wounds delivered by arrogance, ignorance, laziness and jobs for mates.

Enormous credit must go to the Triggster and Judge for stopping the rot and setting a direction that factored in the desires of the Members and supporters - no more quick fixes.

But are we taking it too far? Are we using the sins of the past to excuse and justify present abject failure as inevitable if you're not doing it the 'new way', the 'reset' way? Are we using the sins of the past and what we supporters wanted to justify a slower than necessary 'rebuild', which started out as a 'reset'. Are we throwing out the baby with the bath water? Were there some characteristics of the traditional Carlton way which actually worked? Before Elliott fckd up everything, we had a culture of innovation, rapid change if necessary and pure excellence.

So, I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment. Here are mantras we've heard from the club which I personally believe are wrong and counter productive or need further, better explanation:

1.  Not deviating. What does this actually mean? Does this mean not deviating from the path of no saviours or quick fixes? Or does it mean not to deviate from the present game plan/coaching styles/coaching & admin staff and so on? Both? Even Apollo missions, although having a clear destination, knew that constant 'course correction' is a reality.

Is BB willing to question his coaching/direction? There are some basics in coaching which need never be questioned, as they are self-evident realities. Something went horribly wrong and failed dismally when we attempted to alter our game to accommodate a more offensive style. It failed grandly, though it did provide us with, all up, about 20 minutes of attractive footy... not winning footy, but pretty footy. This tells me that our coaching people did NOT think it through. We seem to have dumped this... good, but I repeat, it would seem that we did not think through this strong change in game plan or it wasn't implemented correctly or we don't have the culture to integrate change, or someone was covertly resistent to the change... whatever, it was a colossal c0ckup which only confused everyone, the players, seemingly, most of all.

This early rounds 'offensive layer' flies in the face of the stated 'not deviating'. Good intention though, but obviously poorly done for whatever reason. 'Offensive layer' spanks of pretty speak, seductive corporate cr@p.

2. 'We're not putting a ceiling on...' Bullshit. Although this sounds like a sexy, motivation 101 kind of statement hinting at not preventing us from amazing progress, it is cr@p. The human brain is a magnificent goal achieving device and needs/demands specific, incremental goals. We can then measure and deal with failure and celebrate successes along the way. I am confident we have these measurements in certain areas within the club, but we need bold, public, accountable declarations of W/L or ladder position goals or whatever... the Tiggers made a bold declaration a few years back re membership nos... they were laughed at, and who is doing the laughing now? There are many other examples. Seems to me that 'we're not putting a ceiling on (whatever)', is a cop out and actually playing safe. Fck safe. (But make sure how you deliver the goal public is simply put, not something that'll open you to mockery -- remember 'what have the 'Blues got cooking' or whatever it was. Dumb.

And that leads me to:

3. 'Not getting too high or too low'. Bullsh1t. That spanks of 'moderate.' Beige. And again, safe. There is nothing to be feared from expressing and acknowledging deep lows (hurt), this can become a great motivator. As can acknowledging and expressing big highs... a significant success deserves and demands celebration - this helps with goal achieving/setting by the way. Maybe BB is like this in his personal life, keeping ceilings (remember 'no ceilings?') on pain and joy... hurt and exhilaration?

Not getting too high or too low minimises loss/hurt/pain, which is not something a healthy person (or organisation) should ever do. Likewise, minimising a big win should never, ever be done. A big win should be celebrated and enjoyed to the fullest (within a certain time frame of course). This helps our brains understand and be super clear about our desired 'goals'.

Maybe moderating feelings is something that comes with 'teaching'. But leadership begs for authenticity, without artificial limits. Great leaders know how to manage extreme highs and lows (in themselves and others) and turn them into motivation and PASSION.

BB is a likeable person who will get more time and be forgiven more sins than more abrasive senior coaches. But where we are at present is totally unacceptable, and by where we are at present, I mean showing no improvement, in fact, we've gone further backwards.

For BB to mention that we'd win a game or two before the bye flies in the face of everything he's said previously and tells me that others may be pulling his strings/he's under pressure to deliver or he'll be marched out of the place... maybe this comment is just to keep the chooks (us) happy for a while, by feeding us a few morsels.

I really hope that BB is the man for the job, but to me 'no ceilings' is very similar to no accountability.

'Not getting too high or too low', minimises... and nothing ever shrank to greatness.

And to me the only things you never deviate from, when wanting sustained success, are ruthlessness, mongrel persistence and passion... and green shoots never grew into trees of ruthlessness, mongrel persistence and passion when grown in a soil of 'not getting too high or too low'.

[PaulP]

It's also in many cases their 'unwanted' first rounders which puts us well behind.

Yes, I agree we're not getting the cream of their talent, but we are still getting pretty good players. And don't forget, we have a number of our own "top end" 1st rounders, so we are getting as close as it's possible to get IMO.

[Lods]

Yes, I agree we're not getting the cream of their talent, but we are still getting pretty good players. And don't forget, we have a number of our own "top end" 1st rounders, so we are getting as close as it's possible to get IMO.

We've just about run out of currency now though.
The young good players we want to keep.
The older ones probably wouldn't draw a top 10 pick.

[PaulP]

We've just about run out of currency now though.
The young good players we want to keep.
The older ones probably wouldn't draw a top 10 pick.

Yes, that's true, which is partly why we're not planning too many changes in the future.

[cookie2]

@Baggers
Interesting post Baggers. From what you are saying, has BB created somewhat of a cosy sheltered workshop where there is not a enough desire and hunger - the kind of hunger that bites and makes you ache to catch a meal i.e. success? BB plays his cards very close to his chest and gives very little away of anything so imo it's a bit hard to guess at what is going on in the inner sanctum.

[PaulP]

Baggers, we were able to game the previous pre draft system because we had the means to do so. Elliott was successful in a time when the model suited his monetised, corporatised world view, and I don’t knock him for that. My knock on him is that he couldn’t or wouldn’t change when he needed to, and when the jig was well and truly up.

I must be one of the few who feel they understand Bolton quite clearly. “not deviating” means that we won’t go back to messiahs, singling out individuals etc. I don’t think it means he won’t amend the game plan etc. But coaches have a belief in certain things that work, things that have worked for them in the past, and things they expect will work for them now.

“Not putting a ceiling on” means partly not being able to predict the future, and not wanting to put a limit on what the team can achieve.

“Not getting too high or low” is simply about not letting emotions and rash thoughts / behaviours get in the way of clear rational thought. Not thinking their sh1t is beautifully fragrant when they win, and not jumping off bridges when they lose.

Clearly, you find his manner and phrases irritating or deceptive. I find he’s pretty straight up, but I guess his way of talking isn’t for everyone.